Sunday Best
"Excuse me, can i have a decaf soy latte?"
"Certainly, Sir!"
"Hi, I'd like to have a cappucinno and a hot chocolate"
"A cappucinno and a hot chocolate for you in a moment, Sir!"
"A double espresso and hot milk on the side for me please?"
"Alright, Ma'am"
"Could I have a skinny latte and a jug of skim milk on the side for my cereal?"
"Yes, Sir"
As you could tell, my enthusiasm for this Sunday morning has dissipated.
With a full house situation early in the morning during the breakfast rush hour, funky coffee orders instead of the normal brewed coffee and tea, and only myself managing it, I was on the verge of breaking down! I left the battleground and made the quickest walk (as if I was going to sprint) to the pantry of which I call The Hiding Place, and made all my funky coffees. I swear I have never steamed so much milk like this morning in my life!
With as much I can balance and fit of my tray, I took a deep breath and plastered the biggest smile on face. The kind I would stretch as much as possible across the whole face showing my one-sided dimple and proudly braced teeth. Hoping to brace the war outside The Hiding Place too.
And the relief came from getting rid of all my funky coffees. I looked at the empty silver tray gleaming back at me, I thought to myself, "Silver lining in every cloud indeed",and I felt myself emanating a genuine beam. The first for that morning.
Now the battle ground started looking more like the heavenly place it should be being on highest floor of the hotel.
Seeing the empty cup, I approached the old man with only a few strands of silver hair, dressed in baby pink polo tee and khaki slacks.
Me: Can I get you somemore tea?
Old man : Yes, please. I'm just waiting for my wife. She's just getting ready.
15 minutes later...
Old man : Excuse me, could you get me another pot of tea?
Me : Okay, sure! Still waiting for her to get ready ya?
Old man : Yes. Always waiting... All my life...
At that instant, a feeling of warmth and fuzziness wrapped me and softened my heart.
Me : Well, that's really sweet of you, Sir.
Old man : That's the way it should be, isn't it?
Then his wife, old, short and rather pudgy, short-haired with tight curls, dressed in a baggy Hawaiian shirt, a baggier beige bermudas and a pair Scholl sandals pulled the chair opposite him and sat down. Not the best a lady could get for preparing the entire morning, you would thought. Maybe this is what she has been getting ready for the whole morning. Maybe this is her Sunday Best. Maybe this is what the old man has always been waiting for every Sunday. Maybe this is what he is always waiting for all his life...
"One hot chocolate for me please?"
"Certainly Ma'am!" I said with the exact same smile I braced the war. Just more genuine.
And with all my pleasure, I serve her my Sunday Best Hot Chocolate...
*********
This is not just an inspirational literary stint. It did happen and I thought I'd just pen it down.
It was really sweet when the old man said he is always waiting for his wife all his life.
Being late for breakfast because she was getting ready for her Sunday Best not being the most attractive, but he kept on waiting. It dawned on me how we always take things for granted and complain till we get something good out of the fault. Have we ever thought that maybe if we could just have a little more patience to wait and then we'll finally get to see the good things in life?
"Good things come to those who always wait"
Haven't the old saying prove enough?
(: